Spring Break....

This week we had Spring Break. Easter vacation as I knew it in oh so long ago. But anyway, we took this last week off to regroup and do a few things that I haven't been able to do , due to time restraints.
Wow was there so much to do and I know I only touched the surface.
But I did do some things that took all my days and left me exhausted.
I scrubbed my kitchen floors. That was so what was on the very top of my list of things that must be done.
Then I did set up my embroidery machine and stitched out two, count them two, labels for the bags that my daughter and I have been making for selling purposes. Wow did I sew, or did I just sit and watch the machine do it all. You might have guessed it right, I supervised.
But I sat in front of the machine .
Well on the other note, I got all the windows inside and out cleaned. Now I can see all the spring green and beautiful flowers that grow around here.
I was then left to the dreaded bathroom. I had a big mess last year in there. In October my husband finally buckled down and did the repairs. He had to take out and replace the toilet, cause it had a leak and it was Old. Then he had to remove the flooring and even go farther with removing the wood subfloor. It was wet and rotten. So he was able to get that taken care of, and at the same time he had to go into the walls to replace the shower fixtures so that they would not leak anymore. When he was done, I was relieved to know he can do so many things around here. He really is a Great Handy man. So with new fixtures and a new potty (porcelain seat- the queens throne), and new tile flooring and a trap door in the wall. I had to do the finishing work. Wash all the walls and then paint. Well with the time it required, I had to put off that  part for awhile. Thats where this week came in to play. Three days in the bathroom will do anyone in. But it looks all New now and I am popped, but relieved. That is glad that that is done!
The vegetables in the garden are growing in this wonderful weather we are having. Roots are digging deep and getting grounded. I have added some more tomato plants and inter placed spinach in the spare shaded areas of the bed. Potatoes are been eaten by sow bugs and I can't help them, the potatoes that is. Did I mention I added some of my seedling of bell peppers to the garden, well I did. I put them under bottles for protection. Kind of like little green houses. It has worked so far. Another great idea from my hubby.
Corn is growing like weeds and tassels are there for pollinating. Strawberries in a garden salad are a great addition.
Punkin has been visiting her daddy this week. She did get to go to the Griffith Observatory with her mom though. COOL.
Well with the remaining time I have I think I will go play around with some fabric and see if I can get some real sewing in, before this vacation is over.
Hope you have enjoyed your spring start.







 Hope you have a wonderful Easter celebration, for

"He has Risen".

Something from hopenmotion.....

Just wanted to share what I said in another blog, that My daughter and I are involved in. Check it out from time to time. There may be something that you would like that we have made.You can find the link on the side column. Have a great evening and I'll be back after the spring cleaning is done. I'm pooped.

Meet Mom.....

Alright then... I'm Mom... :)

Meet Mom!

It comes to mind that in this season of the journey I'm on, it's not all about me. It's about those around me, and those whom I can help. The Lord provides all my needs, and if at possible, I want to share 'em. This is one of the most interesting chapters in my life as to date, for I can actually see the hand of God working.  I am excited about the end results, for only He knows them. But I am a servant, who is willing to do His will in order to glorify Him.

I am excited to be a part of this vision, Hope 'n Motion. Sewing makes me tick, and if I can make something that makes someone else tick, so be it...

Bags, Books, Bibles...

Punkin helping in the harvest

I want to share. I hope I can give. I want to give. And do it all with LOVE!
Love of the Father God, who gave his son for me.

Aside from the Lord, who is my priority, I love to sew. And not everything, but I like to make quilts, and bags, aprons, fun things.. Well things I think are fun!!

Apron making! 

I love to garden! Hearing the birds sing... feeling the dirt in my finger nails... the sun on my back... the warmth in my soul....

And then to end a day in a good read, yaaa... thats what I enjoy! All the while of knowing that there is a good meal somewhere able to be cooked from the things I've grown... And me and Bambi together, well we are creating some good tasting foods...

Marmalade, from home grown oranges
Jan 2011

So with all that said, I am kinda the domestic women, who is trying to be an example.

With all this I hope I can show Punkin' how to love the Lord, how to be a woman of God, and enjoy what God has created her to be... (Fyi, Punkin' is my grand-daughter :))

And well, that's just a little bit about me!

Spring is in the Air

We began our spring break last Friday and was it so much needed.
We had a sleep over with a cousin and then we went to a Veterans Parade which was cool, followed by a Butterfly exhibit here in town.
It was cool too. Ever had a butterfly kiss. I can honestly say I have.
I am looking forward to doing a few things this week , like
Scrub the kitchen floor , ugh,
Wash the bathroom walls, ugh,
wash windows, ugh...
Sew , sew, sew, and maybe sew.....
read all night long, if the eyes will remain open, and plant more stuff in my garden.
I got more DIRT...
I was able to get my 'U'bed filled with my compost dirt and I put some seedlings in it. Remember this is all trial and error. Not right or wrong at this point, just learning. So this evening I did a little gardening.
Now I am headed to read if I still have the energy.






 Just wanted you to know that I am still in the game and trying to keep up. Are you?

Different Choices

I have had to make many different choices and some have not been easy, nor have they been correct.
Not to say that they were not of some sort of teaching. Although I may not have known they taught me for some time, like years.
But these choices have made me who I am today.
I know that some of the roads that I have traveled down have been very rough, but I still can say I have learned so much from these dusty travels. I may even be better from them as if the mud covered me so that I became super clean in the end. I do try to choose not to return to those puddles in the roads any more.

So now I have been trying to show my grand-daughter to make wise choices, in her young life. I want her to know that those different choices that we have the opportunity to make can make the difference along the way.
I believe that no matter what road we go down, we will still do what the Lord has planned for us. We just may not have to go through really tough times as we may. We can arrive to the same blessing without regrets and quilt.
I have to hang on to the Hope that I can train her up in the way she should go and when she is grown she will not depart.
The different choices that I make today will mold or help mold her into what the Lord has planned for her. I pray that I am obedient to His will. I cannot say this enough. I pray I hear that still small voice, in the direction in which I am instructed.
So with this all said. I have made the choice to continue to homeschool. We are in the last quarter and we have finished almost all that we started from the beginning. I am so happy of these things. I almost through in the towel in the earl days of this journey.
Last week I was able to make a bag for carrying bible study supplies, while my star student sewed by hand on a project she choose to make. We will work on that more on a later date.
We were able to work with beads this week and make Easter cards. All enjoyable. And this week will end with a sleep over surprise, followed by a parade and then a chance to see butterflies released to the wild.
I am excited to watch this happen. I may make the choice to either miss Growcology or be late.

 I am not sure, but either way , I hope it will prove to be a learning experience.

April Showers.....?

I have been having a time for the garden. This last week we were to have a storm come through, but it didn't bring much but cold weather.

It was actually34* two days ago. I was worried that my tomatoes may have froze , but they were okay.
I have turned more dirt than I have ever can imagine.
I have had to buy dirt to fill my 'U' bed and it still is not filled. Whats a gardener to do. My compost is Hot though and we will have more(dirt)  soon, just not now.
So this last week I went to the garden to see if corn needed water and if chickens gave me any eggs and just relax a bit . I need to do that from time to time since I am homeschooling Punkin, and low and behold. I see a grasshopper on the ground. So I casually walk up as to not scare it and I step on its legs. Cool snack for the ladies (chickens). I go to pick it up and I had to pull on it. It was coming out of the ground. I was like, WHAT?
I tugged and out it came with this long thing attached to it. I am told it was laying eggs. I tell you it was gross.
I found another one today in the compost and hit it with a claw. Feed it to the ladies and found its long thing still in the compost pile. DISGUSTING!!!
But two munchers gone , sweet.
Anyway, this next week I am hoping to plant my sprouting seedlings. That will will be sweet. Summer garden here we come.

Salsa, and cucumber / tomato sandwiches.


I love it. It's better than tangerines and chess-its.

Wonderful Weather We are Having

This weekend was fabulous weather for us people who love to work in the yard and garden.
 I had to pull weeds of course yesterday morning and I filled a 33 gallon trash can with them dag-gome things. Not going in the compost pile cause I just don't need that kind of green. But the side of the house looks pretty spiffy.

After a couple of hours I was able to go to the "U" bed and mix up some soil amendments that I had to purchase. Not what I was wanting to do, purchase dirt that is, but I can't make enough dirt fast enough for the 'U' bed right now. Anyway, I mixed and planted a few more plants in it.
Peppers and crookneck squash.
Which of course was before the third Growcology class.
Did I mention my seedlings are sprouting?




 This 3rd class was on seeds and gardening. Lots of great information of, when to plant and where to get good seeds.
 There were two Master Gardeners there to give all they could in the time that was allotted to them. But I tell you, I walked away with a bunch of great ideas and things to apply when possible.

I wonder if I will ever get back to making quilts. I am beginning to worry, that maybe  the time is short for it.

Time to Dig

This time I wasn't digging in the dirt which I had done earlier in the day.
This was a different dig.
Last night I had to struggle to do my bible study last minute.
I do not like to do it that way because then I don't enjoy it and I don't have the time to dig.

Ladies who study Gods word 

I was so glad that it was short. Ten verses. Wow, yeah only ten.
1John 1:1-10. Yet I still didn't have nor take the time to dig. But how deep can one dig in ten verses.
Well today I was impressed on how deep one can go. We have some wonderful ladies who LOVE the LORD. They share what they get from Him on a regular basis. I am blessed to be able to hear what the Lord has for them to share with everyone in our group.
Of course, I will tell some, or at least one point that really stuck with me.
When we say we have fellowship with Him and yet we walk in the dark we lie and and do not practice the truth. 1John1:6.
This bothers me for a couple of reasons. I know people like this and I hope I am not like this.

Another thing that poked me today is....
Calling sin what it is. Not just sin, but as an example.... Gossip. And gossip doesn't have to be big but it goes so FAR....

Wonderful Women of God

Did you notice?....
Oh yeah I heard about that ....
Well they are going through some really hard times....
etc.etc.etc.
I call that LaShon Horah. Evil tongue.
This all can alter the way someone else see's a person and it can destroy a soul. It is evil in it's own way. Yet it may not be malicious at all.
Another example is anger, or instant bouts of rage.
I hate when I do this . I need to repent and not do these things , but I am human and I do and I have to repeatedly say I am sorry and try again.
Thank you God , Lord Jesus for the GRACE.

Oh my aching .....

amendments added after sifting

So today I added amendments to part of the raised "U"bed. I found out I need more Dirt than I have.
I live on a pretty good sized lot and I don't have enough dirt. What is wrong with this picture?
I need good soil for growing vegetables in. I don't have enough compost yet from my STASH.
STASH, isn't that a key word that We all have so much of that we don't know what to use it in.?

 (Oh wait that is in fabric terms for us quilters, which I think I still am?...)
Okay well this is dirt and I know we all have plenty of dirt but I need MORE.

never to young to learn

I can't even believe I want more dirt, but I do. I was thinking of how to get it with out it taking to long like compost and also not costing me an arm and a leg.
 I really need to think this one through.
On another note, tomorrow morning I have to make a trip to a friends house to get horse manure, and while I am away I need someone to sit at the homestead to wait for my worms that need to be signed for. Does all this sound nuts? I think it might and this is all so I can get more good DIRT.

SWEET  :)

corn 1 1/2 week apart in planting

Anyway, with all this said I did manage to get a few tomato plants in the "U"bed. We also planted some more corn in Punkin's plot. My daughter's boyfriend contributed to the ranch.
So this is how my community garden has begun.


Has yours been started?

3/27

We were together all day my best friend and I. Today was his birthday.
I made him breakfast and and then sent him outside, where he loves to be when he's home and the weather is sweet. Today it was. Not hot and not cold. Cloudy and just right for working on the ranch.
Okay so it is a small ranch , but we love it.
He has been working since I guess Friday on a raised bed for me. His best friend.

Today after I turned four compost piles, I helped him build it. We are calling it the "U" bed.
It is huge really. Especially with nothing in it. But still. 104 square feet, yeah big.
Anyway, we have always worked well together and today was good. We finished it. Now all I need to do is fill it with more dirt and then , Plants.
Part of why it took three days to build other than age, don't repeat that, is because we have gophers. So we needed to put wire mesh/ screen down. So we spaded it in the shape we wanted. Okay he did.
Then used Ole Trusty , that kept puttering out, not so trusty.
Then put down the wire screen, and put back in the dirt. Then built the raised bed, using 2x6s.
When then bed frame was complete, I went around and filled in the dirt around the frame to cover the screen. I had to work it pretty good so that as time goes by we don't get scatched by the stuff. It could be pretty nasty, if one was scratched by a thin wire that has been in the ground for a few years. So, I crawled around on my hands and knees pounding dirt.
Needless to say, I feel like I have been beat by the hammer right now and I need to go sit in a more comfortable chair. But I just wanted to let you know how my best friends day went. We ended it with one of his favorite meals. Burgers from IN/OUT.
Now that is what I call a win win situation.
I get my raised garden bed and dinner out and he gets to spend the day with his best friend and gets the job done.

needs amendments to fill 

sporting our work belt aprons
made by hope'nmotion

I will let you know when we get to plant in it. It still needs some amendments added.